Read Online The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck - Free Book Online Page A

“I’m just going to stick her up here and let you brood about her for a while.” He pinned the picture to the curtain.
    Captain Loft was gathering his equipment into his arms now, and he said, “I don’t think it looks very well out here, Lieutenant. You’d better take it down. It wouldn’t make a good impression on the local people.”
    Hunter looked up from his board. “What wouldn’t?” He followed their eyes to the picture. “Who’s that?” he asked.
    â€œShe’s an actress,” said Prackle.
    Hunter looked at her carefully. “Oh, do you know her?”
    Tonder said, “She’s a tramp.”
    Hunter said, “Oh, then you know her?”
    Prackle was looking steadily at Tonder. He said, “Say, how do you know she’s a tramp?”
    â€œShe looks like a tramp,” said Tonder.
    â€œDo you know her?”
    â€œNo, and I don’t want to.”
    Prackle began to say, “Then how do you know?” when Loft broke in. He said, “You’d better take the picture down. Put it up over your bed if you want to. This room’s kind of official here.”
    Prackle looked at him mutinously and was about to speak when Captain Loft said, “That’s an order, Lieutenant,” and poor Prackle folded his paper and put it into his pocket again. He tried cheerily to change the subject. “There are some pretty girls in this town, all right,” he said. “As soon as we get settled down and everything going smoothly, I’m going to get acquainted with a few.”
    Loft said, “You’d better read X-12. There’s a section dealing with sexual matters.” And he went out, carrying his duffel, glasses, and equipment. Lieutenant Tonder, still looking over Hunter’s shoulder, said, “That’s clever—the coal cars come right through the mines to the ship.”
    Hunter came slowly out of his work and he said, “We have to speed it up; we’ve got to get that coal moving. It’s a big job. I’m awful thankful that the people here are calm and sensible.”
    Loft came back into the room without his equipment. He stood by the window, looking out toward the harbor, toward the coal mine, and he said, “They are calm and sensible because we are calm and sensible. I think we can take credit for that. That’s why I keep harping on procedure. It is very carefully worked out.”
    The door opened and Colonel Lanser came in, removing his coat as he entered. His staff gave him military courtesy —not very rigid, but enough. Lanser said, “Captain Loft, will you go down and relieve Bentick? He isn’t feeling well, says he’s dizzy.”
    â€œYes, sir,” said Loft. “May I suggest, sir, that I only recently came off duty?”
    Lanser inspected him closely. “I hope you don’t mind going, Captain.”
    â€œNot at all, sir; I just mention it for the record.”
    Lanser relaxed and chuckled. “You like to be mentioned in the reports, don’t you?”
    â€œIt does no harm, sir.”
    â€œAnd when you have enough mentions,” Lanser went on, “there will be a little dangler on your chest.”
    â€œThey are the milestones in a military career, sir.”
    Lanser sighed. “Yes, I guess they are. But they won’t be the ones you’ll remember, Captain.”
    â€œSir?” Loft asked.
    â€œYou’ll know what I mean later—perhaps.”
    Captain Loft put his equipment on rapidly. “Yes, sir,” he said, and went out and his footsteps clattered down the wooden stairs, and Lanser watched him go with a little amusement. He said quietly, “There goes a born soldier.” And Hunter looked up and poised his pencil and he said, “A born ass.”
    â€œNo,” said Lanser, “he’s being a soldier the way a lot of men would be politicians. He’ll be on the General Staff before